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Deadpool

“Fake laugh, hiding real pain.”

Liking Deadpool has become a political statement. Ryan Reynolds’ foul-mouthed merc, the South-Park-educated big brother of Starlord, is change, a nod to anti-establishment. It is a sign of boredom toward the superheroes of old, A.K.A. the Noughties. It is a sign that Spidey’s altruism and Superman’s omnibenevolence will not be cheered, but gleefully jeered. Buying a ticket for Deadpool is the equivalent of a vote for Bernie Sanders in a state Hillary is bound to win.

Yet, this eccentric subversion isn’t a sign of revolution. Deadpool pushes the boundaries, yet sometimes struggles to work within these new bounds. Contemporary jokes fly as fast as limbs are severed, whilst fourth wall breaks hit with Quicksilver speed. Deadpool is a charm offensive, aimed at those sick of Cyclops, bored of Beast and annoyed by the Avengers. Yet, it is still very much a part of its past.

Pool’s origin is a dash of Wolverine, a splash of The Thing and a whole slab of dark familiarity. His development permeates the majority of the picture, as any other origins story, and eventually frustrates because of it. Thankfully, the origin arc is squeezed into a suit made of fanciful profanity, gesticulation and gyration.

Whilst plenty does, not everything hits its mark; how could it all could when every line is so unrelentingly outrageous? With more laughs than most modern “comedies”, more gore than many horrors and more bravery than anything Marvel has made before, Deadpool‘s success is a promising sign for the future. Just like Bernie, Deadpool may not change the system, but it’s rather exciting seeing him ruffle some feathers.